Quaresma A, Xavier DM, Cezar-Vaz MR Nurse’s clinical reasoning Update Article DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12957/reuerj.2019.37862 Artigo de Atualidades Artículo de Atualidades Nurses’ clinical reasoning: a Dual Process Theory approach Raciocínio clínico do enfermeiro: uma abordagem segundo a Teoria do Processo Dual Razonamiento clínico del enfermero: un enfoque según la Teoría del Proceso Dual Adrieli QuaresmaI; Daiani Modernel XavierII; Marta Regina Cezar-VazIII ABSTRACT Objective: to think about nurses’ clinical reasoning from the Dual Process Theory perspective. Content: this reflective- theoretical study drew on a critical reading of Dual Process Theory and of scientific articles about clinical reasoning in nursing, found by searching the Virtual Health Library and Pubmed. The clinical reasoning comprises two information processing systems that enable decision making in a clinical context. It forms the basis for the nursing process and management of care. Moreover, it favors the identity, visibility, and reliability of nursing as a profession of the health field, as it fosters a break with the practice of mechanical care by making care something thoughtful and underpinned by scientific knowledge. Conclusion: this study made it possible to think, from the Dual Process Theory perspective, about nurses’ clinical reasoning. It is hoped this will inform measures to develop and improve this skill in care and teaching. Descriptors: Thinking; clinical decision-making; nursing care; nursing. RESUMO Objetivo: refletir acerca do raciocínio clínico do enfermeiro na perspectiva da Teoria do Processo Dual. Conteúdo: trata-se de um estudo teórico-reflexivo construído, a partir da leitura crítica da Teoria do Processo Dual e de artigos científicos acerca do raciocínio clínico em enfermagem, buscados na Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde e Pubmed. O raciocínio clínico é composto por dois sistemas de processamento de informações que possibilitam a tomada de decisões em um contexto clínico. Constitui base para o desenvolvimento do processo de enfermagem e gerência do cuidado. Ademais, favorece identidade, visibilidade e confiabilidade da enfermagem como profissão da área da saúde, ao proporcionar a ruptura com a prática do cuidado mecanizado, tornando-o algo pensado e sustentado por conhecimentos científicos. Conclusão: este estudo permitiu a reflexão acerca do raciocínio clínico do enfermeiro na perspectiva da Teoria do Processo Dual. Espera-se subsidiar ações de desenvolvimento e aprimoramento dessa habilidade na assistência e no ensino. Descritores: Habilidades de pensamento; tomada de decisão clínica; assistência de enfermagem; enfermagem RESUMEN Objetivo: reflexionar sobre el razonamiento clínico del enfermero en la perspectiva de la Teoría del Proceso Dual. Contenido: estudio teórico-reflexivo construido con base en la lectura crítica de la Teoría del Proceso Dual y de artículos científicos acerca del raciocinio clínico en enfermería, buscados en la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud y Pubmed. El razonamiento clínico se compone de dos sistemas de procesamiento de información que posibilitan la toma de decisiones en un contexto clínico. Constituye base para el desarrollo del proceso de enfermería y gestión del cuidado. Además, favorece la identidad, la visibilidad y la confiabilidad de la enfermería como profesión del área de la salud, al promover una ruptura con la práctica del cuidado mecanizado, haciéndolo algo pensado y sostenido por conocimientos científicos. Conclusión: este estudio permitió la reflexión acerca del razonamiento clínico del enfermero bajo la perspectiva de la Teoría del Proceso Dual. Se espera subsidiar acciones de desarrollo y perfeccionamiento de esa habilidad en la asistencia y enseñanza. Descriptores: Pensamiento; toma de decisiones clínicas; atención de enfermería; enfermería. INTRODUCTION Currently, we have been experiencing a period characterized by intense changes in work in health due to the globalization, socioeconomic and cultural transformations, technological advances and the incorporation of more advanced and complex methods for promotion, prevention, maintenance and recovery of health. This leads to changes in the care process, requiring the nurse not only precise techniques, but also development, mastery and improvement of cognitive abilities, such as the clinical reasoning1,2. ____________________ IStudent of the Undergraduate Nursing Course, Nursing School, Federal University of Rio Grande. Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] IIPhD in Nursing. Adjunct Professor, Nursing School, Federal University of Rio Grande. Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] IIIPhD in Nursing Philosophy. Full Professor, Nursing School, Federal University of Rio Grande. Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Received: Oct 17th 2018 – Accepted: Jan 28th 2019 Rev enferm UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, 2019; 27:e37862 p.1 Quaresma A, Xavier DM, Cezar-Vaz MR Nurse’s clinical reasoning Artigo de Atualidades Update Article DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12957/reuerj.2019.37862 Artículo de Atualidades The clinical reasoning, considered to be synonymous with critical thinking or clinical judgment, can be understood as a set of complex cognitive processes that leads to decision-making in a clinical context. It is grounded in scientific knowledge and involves intentional judgment of data, interpretation, analysis, inference of results, and justification of decisions/actions3. Thus, nurses use the clinical reasoning to collect and interpret data on patients' health histories, verify their current general health status and needs, plan and execute the necessary care actions to provide them, and evaluate their effectiveness. For this, it is important the exchange of information between nurse and patient, through verbal and non- verbal communication and clinical assessment techniques1. For this exchange to be productive, nurses must have and integrate knowledge from different areas, such as anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology of diseases, semiology and pharmacology, in order to base their clinical reasoning and, therefore, to ensure safe care actions capable of producing desirable health outcomes4. In addition, from this professional is required inquisitive, understanding, reflexive, creative and persevering attitudes, in order to guarantee access to information essential for therapeutic decision-making, to recognize the uniqueness of each patient and to flexibilize the nursing care actions according to their needs5. The cognitive processes that make up the clinical reasoning became the focus of scientific research in 1970. During this period, an English psychologist6, who investigated the human cognition, proposed and described two components of reasoning: one fast and inductive and the other slow and deductive, giving rise to the Dual Process Theory. This theory was tested and validated by researchers from several areas of knowledge7, including nursing8, being the most accepted for the explanation of the cognitive processes involved in the clinical reasoning7-9. Currently, one of the most respected researchers of Dual Process Theory studies is the Israeli theorist Daniel Kahneman. In view of this, the present study will address some aspects of this theory, from the most recent Kahneman’s study9. Based on the assumption that the clinical reasoning permeates the nurse's care and management actions, it is justified to reflect and deepen the theoretical about the subject, which may support strategies to improve this ability. Thus, the objective was to reflect on the clinical reasoning of nurses from a perspective of the Dual Process Theory. It is a theoretical-reflexive study, based on the Dual Process Theory9 and supported by national and international scientific literature. Based on the critical reading of the aforementioned theory and articles on clinical reasoning in nursing, which were searched in the Virtual Health Library and in Pubmed, the present study was organized in the following topics: structure of the clinical reasoning; clinical reasoning in nursing; and development and improvement of the clinical thinking. Structure of the Clinical Reasoning The Dual Process Theory proposes the structuring of the clinical reasoning in two components, being one of them a non-analytical one, system 1, and another one analytical, system 29. These components have a processing center located in the central nervous system, at the level of the medial region of the prefrontal and dorsolateral cortex of the prefrontal cortex, respectively. These brain regions are responsible for executive functions, such as: attention, information processing, action planning, and decision-making7. System 1, non-analytical or intuitive clinical reasoning, is associated with the sensory perception and fast pattern recognition. It is independent of the individual's intelligence and short-term memory. It is fast and automatic, requires little or no mental effort and happens involuntarily7,9,10. The non-analytical clinical reasoning is based on innate human abilities, such as: ability to perceive the world around, to recognize objects, and to direct attention. These skills become more agile and automatic as they are practiced. Some of them are shared by people in general, others are developed only from training7,9. In contrast, system 2 or the clinical analytic reasoning is eventual, conscious, and logical. It is based on scientific knowledge; therefore, it is proportional to the knowledge and intelligence of the individual. It involves cognitive skills of judgment, interpretation, analysis,